Comm vs Quassel IRC
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted chat & communication options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Comm | Quassel IRC |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 74 · Good | 57 · Fair |
| Category | Chat & Communication | Chat & Communication |
| License | BSD-3-Clause | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | docker, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 331 | ★ 794 |
| First released | 2022 | 2008 |
| Replaces | Discord, Slack | Slack |
What are Comm and Quassel IRC?
Comm
Comm is an open-source messaging app focused on a personal server model where users can host their own Comm node. It provides end-to-end encryption and is designed for communities and small groups.
- Personal server model
- End-to-end encryption
- Native mobile apps
- Community-oriented
Quassel IRC
Quassel is a distributed IRC client built around a central core that stays connected and one or more clients that attach to it. The core acts as a permanent bouncer storing backlog for all devices.
- Always-on core bouncer
- Synced backlog across devices
- Qt desktop clients
- PostgreSQL or SQLite storage
Comm vs Quassel IRC: key differences
Comm is written in JavaScript, while Quassel IRC is built with C++. Licensing differs — BSD-3-Clause for Comm versus GPL-3.0 for Quassel IRC. Quassel IRC is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Comm. Quassel IRC is the more established project (first released 2008), while Comm arrived in 2022. Quassel IRC has the considerably larger community, at 794 GitHub stars versus 331.
Why pick each one
Choose Comm if…
- Released under the BSD-3-Clause license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in JavaScript
Choose Quassel IRC if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in C++
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Comm or Quassel IRC better?
Quassel IRC is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Comm if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Comm and Quassel IRC free and open-source?
Yes. Comm is licensed under BSD-3-Clause and Quassel IRC under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Comm and Quassel IRC with Docker?
Comm: yes. Quassel IRC: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Comm or Quassel IRC?
Quassel IRC has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Comm. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.